Branded Mudblood
by Readytorock
Summary: "We all have out scars, just some wear them better than others".
1. Chapter 1

The dreadful shrieking of laughter filled the dark, cold and damp room. She lay there; as always trying to stifle her sobs as Bellatrix continued to enjoy the pitiful sight before her.

Other sights flashed before her closed eyes, running through the forest, being caught by Scabior the snatcher; the first man to look at her in ways she could only imagine. But most of all the screams and cries of the battlefield filled her dream and with a final and repetitive flash of green light Hermoine awoke with the etched scar on her arm burning. Mudblood.

She checked the clock on her bedside table. 8:15. So early after the long summer all the hogwarts students had been entitled to after a long and stressful final year. Indeed the last few years has seen them leave Hogwarts altogether to search for Horcuxes, and now was the first day of term. A fresh start after the war was what this new term offered. Hermione could finish her NEWTS and life could go on normally. This thought brought a smile to Hermiones face. Normality. It was overdue.

Jumping out of bed with a spring in her step she started her morning routine. A long and hot shower to wake her up. Returning into her room she looked into the floor length mirror and right beside it her wizarding robes. Strange how much had changed since first year, the Hermione in front of the mirror was much changed in more ways than one. Thinking this she looked once again down at the red ugly scar on her arm, the heat of the water had made it stand out even more. Looking back in the mirror Hermione reviewed her appearance. Her hair still wet hung over her shoulders and having allowed it to grow it went mid way down her back, the longest it had ever been, her skin nice and tanned after a holiday in Australia with her parents and her other facial features pretty and not out of proportion as she had found when she was younger. She was aware that her body too had changed, eating a better diet since she had returned home had seen her gain curves in just about the right places, and with the tan to go with it she had been very happy with sporting a bikini body.

All that aside she was still the same old bookworm, the same old know-it-all and whats more she had received a letter a few weeks ago to tell her she was to become head girl. A position she could only dream about. Casting a spell to dry her hair and then tame it in to lovely loose waves, ridding the usual frizz away. Putting on a light base of foundation and bronzer to contour her face she added a lip tint and some mascara on. With her makeup all done she dressed in her robes loving the proud and very smug feeling when she pinned on her head girl badge to her outer robe.

Now that she was all ready she only had a few books to put away into her trunk and she'd be all ready. As If reading her mind her father knocked asking to take the trunk down to the car, ready to travel to Kings Cross. The nerves had started to settle in as they drove to the station. Unusually quiet in the back seat as her mother and father nattered in the front seats she instead looked out the window and began to wonder what it would be like seeing everyone again. Since she had been to Australia she had only seen Harry and Ron a few times during the summer, but had wrote to them incessantly, she had even managed to get them on the phone a few times, although that appeared to be somewhat a bigger task than she realised with Ron and his incapability with any muggle device.

But apart from that she hadn't seen any of the Hogwarts bunch since the war, many holding their own personal scars; visible or not.

Before she knew it they had arrived at the station and as usual the flow of people was busy and fast flowing at Kings Cross. Caught up in the bustle of everything Hermione didn't take any notice of where she was going and bumped straight into a hard body. "Careful dear" called her mother who was trailing behind with the luggage trolley which she insisted on pushing. Hermione looked up to see who she had knocked into and began apologising "Sorry I wasn't looking-" she cut off sharply as she saw the pair of striking silver eyes and white blonde hair that she had put to the back of her mind. "Clumsy as ever Granger" was his quick and short reply. Before she had even time to retort he turned his back and walked towards the barrier of platform nine and three quarters.

They had arrived.

Hermione stood statue still after seeing Malfoy for the first time since the war, it was so peculiar that he had such a profound affect upon her after all this time. After everything, he remained the same. Shaking her head, she waited for her mother and father, giving them long and extra tight hugs before tearfully and trying to discreetly pass though the barrier.

On the other side lay the familiar and heart wrenching sight of the Hogwarts express. A fond image that made Hermione immediately smile, a smile which soon turned into a grin when she saw Neville coming towards her. "Hermione! Its so great to see you! You look great!" he gushed dipping down to give her a tight hug. Hermione beamed at him, seeing that he too had changed over the years; now much taller and muscled with a very handsome face and his once buck teeth, like hers had receded to fit in with the rest of his handsome features. "Neville, thank you, its so strange seeing all this again" she pointedly looked at the express. Promptly the train puffed up a jet of smoke and the horn blew signalling they had barely five minutes to board before departure.

Neville without asking whether she needed help took her case and headed toward the train, with a backwards grin to her. Hermione chuckled at the cheeky nature of a once shy and scared boy, and saw that Neville had become a man, following him they boarded the train and found an empty compartment. Once sitting down and strapping the luggage in the correct compartments they allowed themselves to breathe, Hermione was usually tense and Neville too seemed a little on edge. "Odd isn't it?" hermione broke the silence. Neville let a little smile and looked down. "After the war it just feels odd that we're pretending like nothings happened, like nothing has changed..."

On this depressing but very truthful statement the compartment door opened with a bang and Harry and Ron entered with a cheeriness that contrasted the couple sitting. Jumping up Hermione was crushed in a tight hug from both of the boys. Laughing they stuffed Neville into the hug as well and with a great heave from the train that announced their departure the hug was over and they all landed into a seat. Ron next to Neville and Harry by Hermione. As Hermione looked out of the moving trains window into such a familiar view she felt a pang, it almost felt like nothing had changed; but it wasn't the land that was scarred in someway; shape or form, it was them. They each held a heaviness that hadn't been present in their 11 year old selves.

Looking back she examined the two boys, quickly falling into conversation over her time away and what they had been up to. Harry looked ever the same, although slighter healthier and more tanned, taller and with some meat on his bones. There was an easiness and happiness in his eyes that she hadn't seen in such a long time. And Ron, well alike Neville he had filled out in all the right places, his flame red hair had turned slightly auburn and had grown slightly and he too had a nice tan; surprising considering he'd never caught one in the entire duration of their friendship. Yes, as she surveyed these positive changes in Ron he caught her mid stare and gave her a small smile, a secret smile. Since the final battle when they had passionately embraced Hermione had been too shy to broach the subject of what it meant, assuming it had been nothing more than a spur of the moment. But the look he had in his eyes said otherwise. As they all chatted on Harry and Neville fell asleep along the way and Hermione and Ron, oblivious continued to talk.

"You look really great Hermione" Ron commented, a small and perhaps meaningless comment but his eyes looked so appreciative that it spoke volumes. Hermione smiled and returned the compliment, attributing the changes to a bit of sun and some good food. "Don't be silly, you've always looked great, it just took me a while to realise-" he was caught off mid speech. A conversation that Hermione desperately wanted to have. She'd been thinking about him all the while in Australia in point of fact. But the compartment door opened with a heavy thud and as one of the new prefects had taken it upon himself to tell everyone to start making themselves ready for arrival; a performance she had once done a long time ago. The young boy prefect, several years younger than Hermione also pointed out to Hermione that the Head's compartment was near the front of the train, so as to lead the new students to the boats. Nodding Hermione pulled a tight smile and stood, following the prefect who was going out of his way to make sure this conversation wasn't going to happen just now. Ron, disappointment obvious, said goodbye and began to get ready as Harry and Neville, completely unaware slept on.

As her steps retreated away from the carriage compartment Hermione felt like there was hope, after a summer of dreaming that the kiss had been more was perhaps not too much of a fantasy. Smiling secretly to herself, head bowed she walked into the Head's compartment. "Why the smile Granger? Happy to see me?" filled the empty space between herself and Malfoy. Coming back to reality, Hermione sharply lifted her head to be greeted with the cold silver eyes of Malfoy once again. Except they weren't so cold...just amused.

Deciding to use a new tactic, she combatted his wit with more wit. "Is it so obvious?" she asked tilting her head; playing dumb with a innocent look. Malfoy was taken aback to say the least. Here before him was another girl than the one he had bullied for countless years. Begrudgingly he had to admit that the girl in front of him, teasing and particularly alluring was his match in every way.

Little did she know.


	2. Chapter 2

The train soon came to a halt and with the familiar whistle Hermione and Draco disembarked, Draco first; ignoring the snort that escaped Hermione as she muttered something about manners.

To greet the new heads of Hogwarts was Hagrid, huge and hairy as ever before. Hermione, gleaming at the wonderful sight of her old friend sprung down off the steps, pushing past Draco and into an awaiting hug. "Hermione!" He called out swinging her around; nearly knocking Draco off his feet as he, clearly bored by the spectacle awaited impatiently for it to come an end as he watched on.

Once the breath had truly been knocked out of her she patted Hagrid on the back and he responsively set her down on her feet, brushing away a few stray tears that he'd allowed to escape.

"Well, this is all very touching Hagrid but I believe we have some duties to attend to" Draco interrupted before any more could be said. True enough Hermione could see that the train was unloading and all the other students were beginning to disembark.

Further on she could spot Harry, Ron, Neville and the rest of the final years head towards the coaches. Hagrid nodded at Hermione, sharing a smile that spoke volumes. He gave a large cough, immediately gaining the attention of the new, very small and suddenly very frightened first years who swiftly and eagerly enough gathered around.

Hermione smiled on down at them, wondering if she had looked the same when first meeting Hagrid.

"Right gather up everyone" she shouted out, allowing herself to be heard, although not commanding the boom that Hagrid could instantly muster up. "If you stick together as a large group, Hagrid will keep to the rear and you can follow both myself and Draco to the boats which will take us up to the castle" she continued, looking pointedly to Hagrid who immediately went to the back to make sure no one got lost or left behind. Dozens of blinking young eyes looked on expectantly and admiringly at herself and Draco and without further ado they began to head away from the train and along the windy and long path towards the large lake where a dozen boats awaited them.

The first boat was occupied by Draco and herself alone.

A perfectly good waste of space Hermione thought, but it was tradition. And she supposed after everything that had happened over the past years at Hogwarts; traditional seemed safe.

For the first few moments as they took their place, Draco stood, rather gracefully for being upon a rocky boat Hermione did note and lit the candle in the lantern at the front. Sitting down again they cast off and were soon joined, though at a great distance from the children who spoke in excited and hushed voices.

Hermione ignored his presence, and feeling unabashed she settled herself nearer to the lantern, perching at the top end of the boat;staring up at the castle as if for the first time all again.

Lost in her thoughts she looked on. Unaware Draco watched her.

She was a beauty and the light thats shone upon her features only agreed with this observation.

Switching his gaze back to the castle he questioned her. "Did you miss it?" Hermione, so wrapped up in her memories before Voldemort and the full blown war nearly jumped at his soft and surprisingly unfiltered voice. Draco without spite and smugness wrapped up in his voice sounded...well he sounded like any boy his age, and now she supposed he was; despite the weight of worries he'd carried from his father.

Everything that he'd been so proud of was gone, he too was left right back at the beginning. Just like the rest of them. For a while she didn't answer. But turning around she faced him.

"Its my home, so of course I did. But you know what they say, sometimes you need to leave the nest to grow up."

Draco kept his head bowed, refusing to make eye contact lest she see the agreement in his eyes. "Well, we're back now. Everything can go back to being be just like we were." With that he looked up and gave her his characteristic smirk; his cold eyes back.

Hermione, wasn't startled or even slightly bothered that Draco was back to his old egotistical self, if she had an ounce of sympathy for the snake before her she would try to convince him otherwise, but in all honesty if anything had changed it was her attitude. Always she had been so organised and fixated on doing everything right first time, if the war had changed her it made her realise the things worth fighting for. And as she looked on at the confused young man in front of her, doubtlessly torn by the war and his place within it all, she realised that everything changes; but only if change is allowed.

Looking at Draco she wasn't sure if he's ever accept the imminent change that was before them.

Soon the boat was ashore and picking herself up Hermione was the first to the leave the boat, Draco followed slightly after, as if dazed that they had already come to their destination. They didn't have to wait long before the crowds of first years joined them on the river banks, excited and much louder now that the legendary Hogwarts was in sight.

The carriages which had taken all the other years, including Harry and Ron were waiting for them away from the docks, signalling that the rest of Hogwarts students were awaiting them in the Great Hall for the house placement.

There was something strange about the carriages Hermione puzzled over as they watched the youngsters get in safely and drive off. The confusion must have clearly read on her brow because Draco acknowledged it, "Its the horses, we could never see them before" he pointed to the skeleton horses that drew the carriages.

Now that this was pointed out Hermione couldn't believe her own stupidity; of course, the invisible horses Harry had described years ago. As they climbed into the final carriage, Hagrid walking behind lest he topple it. "You can only see the horses if you've experienced or looked death right in the face" he continued. Hermione surveyed him as he pondered his own words.

After that their journey was silent, till they disembarked to follow the first years.

Entering the great doors of Hogwarts, she walked into the place that the last time she had stood in had been a disastrous battleground,; the end battle. The place was now just as she remembered.

With the help of the ministry it was cleared and mended back to its old, rustic, grand state. Ahead she could see the processing of the queue towards the ever battered and ever smug looking sorting hat. The Great Hall, quite dark for a seating ceremony was decorated with candles all upon the ceiling, shining down upon the heads of the already seated students.

Making her way to the Gryffindor table she spotted Neville first who waved her over to sit by him, who she happily joined; finding herself pleasantly surprised to be seated opposite Ron and Harry once again. "Just cant seem to get rid of you" she joked as she folded her robes beneath her. And with that they watched the new year form under new houses.

With the end of the ceremony, as the newcomers joined their new house tables the food appeared; a great and dense feast, the sight alone made Hermione's tummy grumble so loud that Neville had to stifle his laughter.

Feeling greedy she filled her plate and finished off with a selection of deserts she too finished. "Blimey Hermione, your appetite could rival Ron's" Harry exclaimed, he too laughing at the rather mirror like image of empty plates and satisfied grins.

At the mention of Ron's appetite however, Hermione, for god knows what reason blushed when meeting his eyes as he grinned back at her.

Following the food more announcements were made and Mcgonagall ended the ceremony with "And now the prefects with lead everyone to their dorms, granting you access to the password, which I plead with you not to forget on your first day"

And with that students began to leave the hall in a wave of crowds. Following them Hermione continued chatting and laughing with the old gang, as she began to climb the stars; caught mid laughing at the memory of Neville's memory ball, she'd begun heading towards the Gryffindor common room when a voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Granger, you're going the wrong way" Draco's voice slyly called out.

Turning mid conversation, she and the boys stopped in their tracks. Confusion laced her voice, "What do you mean?" Gracefully climbing the stairs, he stopped on the step beneath her, bringing her face to face with him.

"Well, Granger you're my new roommate it would seem" He spoke the words slowly letting it sink in. Her expression was satisfaction enough. The thought of living with the Mudblood Granger, would have a few years ago brought horror to his system, now he felt a lurch of thrill; her newfound looks had a great deal to do with it but her new attitude to boot would keep him entertained all year long.

Her expression was priceless and the look of specifically Weasley he noticed was lethal. He was going to enjoy this. Just to add to this sweet moment he added, glancing down her lush body "Lets hope we get to share a bathroom too."

And with that and his characteristic smirk, directly at Weasley he continued up the stairs, leaving her to follow.


End file.
